Harley Benton TE52 Telecaster (The Dog) Vs Fender Player Telecaster

Harley Benton TE52 Telecaster (The Dog) Vs Fender Player Telecaster - The Guitar Bay

Рет қаралды 28,742

Күн бұрын

This week we are checking out the Harley Benton TE52 Telecaster. Danny has been on the lookout for one of these for a while to see how it stacks up against Takis’ much beloved Mexican Player Series Fender Tele.
The guitar was bought with swapped tuning pegs, which the previous owner installed (in all honesty) quite poorly.
The guitar however got a quick overhaul with Fame locking tuners, a Wilkinson brass saddle ashtray bridge and a Graphtech nut. The guitar now plays and sounds how it should!
Decide for yourself, does it stand up to the Fender?
Amp is a Laney LC50 mic´d with an SM57.
Harley Benton Advert
Ebay - SOLD
0:00 Intro chit-chat
02:05 Today's Item - Harley Benton TE52
07:55 Plugged in - Improv Jam HB Vs Fender Tele
11:18 A little bit about Takis’s Telecaster
12:49 A bit about the Dog TE52 (Upgrades etc)
16:47 A/B Fender vs TE52
22:15 Wrap-up Next Day
25:10 Album with F
Facebook - / theguitarbay
Instagram - / guitar_bay
Like, subscribe, comment - Thanks for watching!

Пікірлер: 97

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Tell us your favourite album beginning with the letter "F"!

@ethanyoung1697 3 жыл бұрын

Far - Regina Spektor

@rockfan 3 жыл бұрын

Far beyond Driven - Pantera

@kohenm 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic Magic - TK from ling tosite sigure

@JamesHartnell 2 жыл бұрын

Frampton Comes Alive

@lifftyourskinnyfists180 Жыл бұрын

Godspeed You Black Emperor - F# A# infinity

@petercyr3508 3 жыл бұрын

May 2021. I just got a HB TE 52. I am stunned at how good it is. It came all set up. Relief, intonation. Tuners and nut are fine. No buzzes.

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Peter glad your enjoying it 🙌🏻 thanks for watching

@richbird23 3 жыл бұрын

Enjoyed the video. I started with a Squire Affinity Tele. I was not happy, just didn't have that Tele twang, so I installed Fender MIM pickups. This was better, but when I got a HB TE-52, I found was I was looking for.

@lmrk8441 23 күн бұрын

I own three HB's and I do my own setup and fretwork. If not I would spend the money to have the neck professionally worked. OBTW, all had some buzz.

@dampol86 3 жыл бұрын

Neck sounded better on the Fender, I preferred the HB on the bridge. I'm also a happy TE-52 owner :)

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

We agree Dan thanks for subbing 🤙🏻 enjoy your TE52 it’s really a top guitar, If I kept it i’d be installing a Bare Knuckle in the neck, your right the bridge does keep up with the Fender

@dampol86 3 жыл бұрын

@@V1T091 you're welcome! keep making awesome videos! I also have an HB strat (ST62) that I have upgraded to a Bareknuckle (Mother's Milk)set, although its a solid sound. It's different from the Roswell, and there were certain aspects of the Roswell that I miss. Which shows that changing pickups does not always mean, making the sound better, just different :)

@jizzyjillespie7886 3 жыл бұрын

Oh man, I cannot believe I like the HB more! Thanks for the comparison :)

@AxemanMessiah Жыл бұрын

I had a SX Tele Copy and it was extremely fun to play, sold it due to the fret buzzing, unthreaded screws, pickup quality, etc. I've had other guitars since, though that guitar's mojo was beyond great. I then got an Affinity Tele, and was quite happy with it, but somehow didn't play it as much despite being near perfect on paper; it might have been due to the pickups looking back. Fast forward, I ordered the HB TE-52, excited but also dispassionately, and after a few hours of play time, it's a delight to play. Can't compliment it enough. I haven't tried the Classic Vibe, but I have tried the Fender Player Tele, and prefer the TE-52 price being no object. There's many guitar brands now who have become a force to be reckoned with, while I unsure about the rest, this HB has put the end to my search.

@frankzappa951 12 күн бұрын

The ash bodied “thinline” is the king of Harley’s Benton Teles.

@V1T091 12 күн бұрын

@@frankzappa951 have to check one out, this one was heavy so a lightweight version would be nice 👍

@mrbungle8493 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, the Mexican Fender pickups (especially the neck) sound soooo good!!! 😳

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Emilio 😎 we agree, there really is a very noticable difference in the neck pickup. The stock mexican pickups really are leagues above the older models

@Cookie4yabro 3 жыл бұрын

The TE-52 comes with a 3 saddle bridge and it’s actually really good.

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Nick, certainly worked but I found changing it out with the Wilkinson bridge to be a very worthy easy upgrade for €30 a much heavier sturdier unit that I would recommend over stock 🙏

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Takis here, I guess Nick jumped in because it was implied in the video that the guitar had a 6-saddle bridge. I guess it's either that the previous owner had installed such a bridge before Danny bought the guitar or it was just a communication breakdown between us (I talk too much...) :) - In any case, thanks for the heads-up, Nick!

@johnbweems 3 жыл бұрын

I have been using the TE-52 for a year and a half now. I put a Tex Mex bridge PUP and Tonerider AC-2 humbucker neck pup and put brass saddles. I go between it and my home made jazzmaster when I gig. Harley Benton’s are great guitars.

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Great to hear John glad your enjoying it!

@backandfour 2 жыл бұрын

Did you have to make the neck cavity bigger for the humbucker? Doesn't it come routed for single coils? Thanks

@johnbweems 2 жыл бұрын

@@backandfour some of them came with humbucker routes, but mine was a single coil route

@MrAntpre 2 жыл бұрын

@john weems, how did you manage to get a fitting pickguard. Are these standard fender pickguard dimension. Tks

@johnbweems 2 жыл бұрын

@@MrAntpre standard pickguard will fit, but not all the screw holes line up.

@lazvt8469 6 ай бұрын

Got 7 Teles...recently got into the mod thing....my stable includes Tele ProII, G&L US(A)SAST, MIM, FGN, CV50 (2), and recently acquired the HB TE52. HB is quite solid...Roswell's are decent...as good as what comes on a Squier CV. HB has a neck as nice as any USA I've owned...amazing QA! Too heavy at just shy of 10 pounds. So far, Fralin Blues Spec, and Lollar Spec T's can transform a $400 guitar into a true gem. Got a set of Bootstraps coming to try those on the HB.

@buzzburb1 Ай бұрын

fender crisp , harley smooth

@slygitr 2 жыл бұрын

I have the Harley Benton TE62 DB for a week , and i love it! The only thing i didn't like was the difference in the brightness between the bridge and the neck pickup. Zo i installed a set of Fender pickups. (Vintera 50). Now the ballance is great, and i love the tone. But the Roswell pickups were not bad. I own a Fender Stratocaster Plus, but i think that the Harley Benton is just as good or even better!

@V1T091 2 жыл бұрын

Glad your enjoying it Sly, post a video show us your mods/guitar collection 🙏

@newtondelmar4416 Жыл бұрын

The HB doesn't have the "bite" in the high frequencies like a classic Tele. But a lot of folks think a classic Tele can be annoyingly bright ...so that HB might be a great alternative for those peeps. The cost diff will be a factor for many players as well. I'm about to order a couple of HB Teles this week...a TE-62 in Sea Foam Green and a TE-20 in Lake Blue Metallic...it will be an interesting comparison between the poplar body 62 and the basswood body 20...I may also get a TE-20 in 3 tone Sun Burst because that color comes with an Indian Laurel fretboard...the others are maple... HB is improving the entire industry IMO...

@user-ou4qc4gt2s 5 күн бұрын

"The HB doesn't have the "bite" in the high frequencies like a classic Tele." - The HB doesn't have ... or a budget pickup in HB?

@antonakis79ohyes 3 жыл бұрын

Great video guys! Good luck with the channel! Yeia sou Taki, Danny! Greetings from Greece, take care guys! By the way, is the Te52 neck comfortable, despite being a bit chunky as they (and you) say?

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Γεια σου Anthony :) Thanks for the support! Not only was the neck comfortable but it was surprisingly good as well. Very smooth surface, much more pleasant than the Affinity series, and a flawless fret job. And it wasn't that chunky (like a proper 50's baseball bat Tele) just noticeably chunkier than my Player Tele. Shockingly good for the money and very pretty too!

@antonakis79ohyes 3 жыл бұрын

@@V1T091 χίλια ευχαριστώ! Many thanks guys! This is my only concern and your feedback is spot on and very illuminating - I already have an Affinity Tele of which I had to sand the neck down a bit to make it more comfortable...! As you may be guessing, I am thinking about getting this te 52...so thank you once again.. I'll be seeing you guys, keep up the good work, you are a great team! Take care!

@kct9967 2 жыл бұрын

Would really like to see a comparison between a top of the line Harley Benton vs. Any other comparably priced guitar of the same model. We all pretty much know that the top of the line guitars in general play/sound better.

@TheElrondo 2 жыл бұрын

The Fusion line of Harley Benton is an incredible value for the money. Roasted necks, stainless frets, locking tuners, graphtec nut and so on. For a fraction of the price of the big brands.

@nazfrde 8 ай бұрын

He bought this one used, and if he had gotten in from Thomann in as bad a condition as he says this one is, he could have gotten a replacement from Thomann. I have one of these and it's amazing.

@canadianintheukbrian 3 жыл бұрын

be interesting with a Vintage V52 with the Wilkinson Hardware , I like the sound more with the player throw in the Vintage v52 that would be an interesting battle, personally I would take the Vintage V52 or any of those Vintage Telecaster's for the money you cannot go wrong with the Benton

@V1T091 2 жыл бұрын

We’d love to test out the Vintage V52 relic, we will keep our eyes peeled 👀

@Alfredo78666 3 жыл бұрын

Another delight from Colombia... But wait man, originally the TE-52 comes with 3 saddles bridge, mines at least:-7

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Alfredo yes the bridge comes standard as 3 saddles however the wilkinson bridge is of way higher quality! Much more weight to it and the Brass Saddles really help get that Tele Twang! Thanks for watching

@TheElrondo 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, nice and interesting vid. I'm thinking about selling my Fender Tele Modern Player. I never was really happy with the humbucker in the bridge position, even it's splittable. Then buying a TE-52 and upgrade it with another 150€ in parts. Btw. Were are you located, cause you talking €? Best wishes and happy holidays from Bavaria Germany 🇩🇪

@V1T091 2 жыл бұрын

Vielen dank Elrondo! Wir wohnen in Düsseldorf 🇩🇪 ! Ich (Danny) komme aber aus Schottland und Takis aus Griechenland. Hört sich gut an, du wirst eine tolle gitarre haben nach den Upgrades! Viel spaß

@StringBard 3 жыл бұрын

Great Job! How about the neck? Which is the more comfortable/faster?

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

The HB had a slightly thicker neck than the Fender but both were equally comfortable and playable. Personal preference really I like the unfinished feel of the Fender but the HB was also very nice.

@gerdhermannwinkelhaus9879 2 жыл бұрын

Nice to Meet jou

@pace_of_mind Жыл бұрын

You guys had the same strings on both of them during the test?

@tedc6694 2 жыл бұрын

Good video. Looking for a t style to play "sometimes".

@V1T091 2 жыл бұрын

Go for it! This has all the qualities of a traditional Tele

@ace-rob71 Жыл бұрын

I got the TE-52 with lots of upgrades, incuding a 4 way switch for pu in series. Is beautifull and sounds really goog but it's too heavy.. 4.5Kg.. impossible to play in stand up for more than half hour..

@LesleyLesPaul 8 ай бұрын

In this case I go for Fender 🎉

@garyjohnston4685 Жыл бұрын

Great video - out of curiosity are the two guitars similar in weight?

@V1T091 Жыл бұрын

Hey Gary thanks for watching bud 🙏 if I remember correctly the HB was a bit heavier than the Fender. Can’t exactly say how much but the HB was quite a hefty guitar

@madmac8577 Жыл бұрын

I have one and it’s the heaviest guitar i own

@Gary-hj2lc 2 жыл бұрын

Why is it in these reviews the string gauges never seem to be mentioned? Did the guitars in this review have .009s or .010s? This is a really important measure of both playability and sound? Anyone care to comment?

@V1T091 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Ian Thanks for commenting, both guitars were strung with gauge 9 strings the Harley Benton with Ernie Ball Slinkies. Good point we should have mentioned it but in my honest opinion there isn't a massive difference between 9&10s on a telecaster when the strings are fresh like they are here.

@gerdhermannwinkelhaus9879 2 жыл бұрын

Got a harley ,cant Reach maybach but good enough for Garage rock and zum üben.

@user-tv6in5mn5j 3 жыл бұрын

Fender pickups wins) Hb with fender pickups wins)

@alafenetre81 11 ай бұрын

The neck pick-up on the HB does not sound good at all, it's too dark relatively to the bridge pick-up. What about weights between the 2 guitars?

@dzungpham Жыл бұрын

well, fender tone is much better, specially in the clean tone

@lazlooxp7144 3 жыл бұрын

Back to the Roots -> The Roots of Coffee

@insidious.92 2 жыл бұрын

Are they the same thickness?

@V1T091 2 жыл бұрын

Hey Vic thanks for watching, if I remember correctly the HB was slightly thicker/heavier overall

@Yeti.Goose.Creature 2 жыл бұрын

I don't like the Harley Benton neck radius on most of their models. 13.8" radius just doesn't feel right on a tele or strat type guitar. For example, the TE-20 has the same neck dimensions as a Fender tele at the 1st and 12th frets, both width and depth. But the flatter fretboard makes it feel wider / bigger and harder to play (for me anyway).

@V1T091 2 жыл бұрын

I found the neck radius really comfy (Danny) I know Takis liked it too, with the thicker neck it felt for me very nice, I'm not a massive fan of the traditional Fender Radius necks but necks and radius are different for everyone. I hope you find the right guitar that fits you and your style. Thanks for watching

@Yeti.Goose.Creature 2 жыл бұрын

@@V1T091 Thanks for your reply Danny. I have a few guitars. I tend to prefer the feel of the PRS wide/thin 10" neck or Epi slim-taper D 12" neck. My fingers are not very long, and I play with thumb over the top - perhaps that's why.

@wallyodom8254 4 ай бұрын

Damg it sounds like he was using a 2x4 as a guitar pick

@evazygkiri1155 3 жыл бұрын

Alphaville-Forever Young

@Skatapow 3 жыл бұрын

Freak Out - Mothers of Invention

@DesertScorpionKSA 8 ай бұрын

You butchered those tuning peg holes. Ouch!

@V1T091 8 ай бұрын

The previous owner drilled new holes as mentioned around 4:03 I tried my best and the guitar was fully functional 🥃

@11000038 7 ай бұрын

FQuadrophenia 😁

@simonnomis5302 5 ай бұрын

τακη? αξιζει τον κοπο η harley benton?

@V1T091 5 ай бұрын

Για τα λεφτά της, απολύτως! Δύσκολα θα βρεις κάτι ανάλογο.

@feloniousmonk321 Жыл бұрын

Fender sounded a lot better to be honest.

@V1T091 Жыл бұрын

We‘d hope so 😅

@mrbesserwisser7447 3 жыл бұрын

HB:s are great value for money, if you can live with the flat neck raduis (14 inches). However, to make it sound and act like a Fender Player, you need to spend money on upgrades. And you may end up paying just as much for the HB as for the Fender.

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

That is the thing, also we think having the Fender Logo and brand history behind it brings a lot of value. For someone like me (Danny) a Strat player the HB really hits the spot if I ever wanna get that Tele Tone without forking out all the money for a Fender Branded item. Cheers mate and thanks for watching!

@gonzalotrujillo2077 3 жыл бұрын

The Harley Benton sounds better

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

We are glad to hear this, we loved the HB but felt it lacked ever so slightly on the neck pickup! The HB is sadly sold and I miss it already (Danny) Cheers Mate

@lukas-uy4fo 3 жыл бұрын

Greek accent?

@V1T091 3 жыл бұрын

Yes Takis is greek however I never notice an accent (Danny). He speaks, writes and understands English better than most native English speakers including myself

@lukas-uy4fo 3 жыл бұрын

@@V1T091 no i am not saying that he is not ok with his english. i am greek my self and it just sounded kind of familiar to my ear. It was not a comment of judgement. Liked your video!